Electric device for explosive-engines.



G. T. MASON.

ELECTRIG DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1910.

1,031,016. Patented July 2,1912.

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CHARLES T. MASON, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

ELECTRIC DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2,1912.

Application filed September 30, 1910. Serial No, 584,690.

T 0 allwhom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMAS MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Devices for Explosive-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

My invention relates to means whereby an electric generator may be associated with an explosive engine for the purpose of 1gniting the charge in the cylinder or cylinders of said engine, and consists of improved and simplified means whereby the generator is directly yet removably attached to the main shaft or other moving part of the engine in such a manner that the maximum electric current will be available at the instant it is required toproduce a spark. I alsoprovide means for locating the position of the generator armature in relation to the movement of the engine, so that engine and generator may be definitely adjusted to each other without the necessity of seeing the armature of the generator, which may be of any type.

The following description read in connection with the drawings will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to understand its nature and to construct same in the form as shown. but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to the precise form herein described, as various modifications and changes can be made by those skilled in the art to carry out my invention without departing essentially from the features herein claimed by me.

Figure 1 is a view looking down on the top of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same mechanism. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating the position of the armature in relation to the pole pieces of the generator and the external numbers of indication, 14, 15. and 10.

The same figures of reference designate the same parts wherever they are shown.

1 represents the main shaft of an engine, or any other moving part thereof having a certain fixed movement in relation to the sparking time of said engine.

2, 3, and 4 show a connection between the engine, and the shaft 5 of the generator. Piece 2 is permanently fixed on 1, while piece 4 is free to rotate on shaft 5, being held in position by a set screw or other suitable mcans 12. Piece 3 is loosely interposed between pieces 2 and 4, and allows the instant separation of same by pulling them apart, yet the relative position of piece 2 to piece 4 is always definitely determined. Permanently attached to the shaft 5 is a collar or suitable member 6 having on its periphery a suitable mark 13. Adjoining this collar is the end plate of the generator which has an off set or bearing 7 on which are placed the marks 14, 15, and 10.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that to secure an efficient spark, the armature of the generator must be in a certain position between the pole pieces at the sparking instant, and to secure and maintain this position has heretofore been diffi- -cult, and to insure a maximum current generators heretofore have been run at excessive speeds so as to insure the armature being somewhere near the correct point when the spark is made. I obviate this difficulty by having the mark 13 coincide with the mark 8 on the armature 9, this mark showing the center of the armature as shown in Fig. 2, the end plate 11 being broken away to show the armature inside of the generator. I also put marks 14, 15, and 10 on the end plate or other suitable part of the machine, and to set the generator in relation to the engine, in the most favorable position for sparking, turn the engine over until the sparking point is reached, at which point the set screw 12 should be loosened and the collar 13 together with shaft 5 rotated until the mark 13 coincides with the mark 14 or 10, this depending on the direction in which the engine is rotating, then screw 12 is tightened, and, as the joint between engine and generator always maintains these in proper relation to each other, a permanent adjustment results. This method of timing the generator in relation to the engine enables those not skilled in the art to readily set the armature so that it will be in the proper position without having any knowledge of the art by proceeding as above.

Furthermore the generator may be removed 11% from the engine and replaced without-resetting the' :n'mature by the use ot the Cardan joint as described, or any other similar joint.

It will be understood thatthe generator may be any of the usual forms of high or low tension dynamos of either the self exeited or permanent magnet type, and as the wiring and eo'nnections between the dynamo and engine together with the spark plugs or other devices are old, I have not shown nor described them, as my improvements may be used in connection with any type and simply embody the m ans whereby the generator and engine are connected together and the armature adjusted in relation to the movements of the engine. The apparatus is, of course, adapted for generators operating by an oscillating motion of the armature. as well as the rotary type here described, the method of adjustment being the same in either case.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. An igniting device for explosive engines comprising a relatively fixed field, an armature in working relation to said field, adjustable connecting means bet-ween said armature and a moving part of the engine, and a two-part timing indicator entirely external to the armature and field structure, having one part in fixed relation to the field and the other part attached to the connecting means and movable in the adjustment thereof, whereby the relative adjustment of th v armature and the connecting means by which it is driven will be visually indicated and may be accurately determined without removing or procuring access to any of the internal parts of the device.

2. An igniting device for explosive engincs comprising a relatively fixed field, an armature in working relation to said field, adjustable connecting means between said armature and a moving part of the engine, and a two-part timing indicator entirely external to the armature and field structure, having one part in fixed relation to the field and the other part attached to the said adjustable connecting means, on the arma ture side thereof, whereby in adjustment the relation of the armature to the moving part of the engine by which it is driven as Well as the relation of both of these to the field may be accurately determined by. open visual indication.

3. In igniting means for explosive engines, a drive shaft having a determinate relation in its rotation to the moving parts of the engine, relatively fixed magnetic poles, an armature adapted to rotate between said poles, a coupling having angular adjustment between said armature and said drive shaft, and a two-part time indicator having one part fixed with respect to. the poles and the other part attached to one member of the adjustable coupling so as to move with the armature when adjusted with respect to the drive shaft, said indicator bearing suitable marks or graduations on its two parts whereby the relation of the armature to the drive shaft and the moving parts of the engine may be directly and accurately determined in adjusting the same by means of open visual indications.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES T. MASON.

Witnesses F. C. MANNING, O. DELGAR. 

